Sydney Brass

Brass ensemble

Sydney Brass is one of Australia’s oldest and most respected chamber music ensemblesFormed in 1958 as The Sydney Brass Ensemble by Cliff Goodchild (Principal Tuba, SSO) with four of his colleagues from the brass section of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the ensemble gained an immediate reputation as a dynamic group of fine instrumentalists.

Being members of the SSO meant exposure on ABC Radio and Television as well as concerts and tours, often extending after a SSO tour through regional New South Wales and in association with Musica Viva.

With the increasing concert schedule of the SSO in the early 80’s, The Sydney Brass Ensemble slowed down its activities only to be reformed in 1987 by Cliff’s son Paul (Associate Principal Trumpet SSO). The newly formed Sydney Brass, as it is now known, comprises symphony and free-lance musicians who perform regularly with the major orchestra’s in Australia. With this versatility Sydney Brass is able to perform music from all facets and genres of music from Renaissance Gabrieli and Monteverdi through to Opera favourites, modern day musicals such as Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story, hits from the Beatles and original compositions for brass.

Over the years Sydney Brass has premiered many new works written by overseas composers such as Malcolm Arnold, Eugene Bozza, Bernstein and Lutoslawski and in particular Australian composers Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards, Eric Gross, David Stanhope and Barry McKimm.